Cooling tower



J. B. HARRY 1,825,453

COOLING TOWER sept.v 29, 1931.

2 sheets-sheet' 1 Filed Dec. 22, 1928 J. B, HARRY COOLING TOWER j sept. 299 1931.

Filed Deo. 22, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 29, 1931 JosHUA PAIvroN HARRY, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA COOLING 'POWER Application filed 'December 22, 1928. Serial No. 327,945.

This invention is concerned with improve-`-V ments in cooling towers, adapted for yuse in cooling condenser water, in` power plants, etc., and is directed more particularly to new and useful improvementsin the elements of the tower, and in combinations of the same.

An object of theinvention then, is'to produce an improved form of cooling tower.

`Another object is to construct a new'form 1o of louver,A for preventing the escape of theV water without unduly obstructing the circulation of air, andbrackets for the same.

Another feature of the invention comprises Other objects will be evident in view o'f the accompanying disclosure, illustrating one form of the invention, and from the appended claims.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the assembled cooling tower depicting -theelements Vsit- V uatedin their respective places;

tive of thermetal drip bars in assembled relation with one form of wooden drip bar, parts being shown in section, and a spacer for the wooden drip bars also being shown;

- In Fig. 3, is a perspective view showing the parts of the louver detached;

Fig. 4 is a detailed perspective view of the arrangement of the wooden dripbars shown in the lower portion of Fig. 1; f

At 1 is shown a pan-like1base, which serves the double Vfunction of catching the' drip waterl from the nozzles 2, 2,1and of acting as asup- Fig. 2 is a detailed, partly drop perspecv While Figs. 5 and'- are perspective views` of the details of the spacers shown in Fig. 4.v

frame -in the present instance is rectangular in plan, -butfit will be understood that the shape of the frame may' be -modied without depart'ng from the essential featureof the invention. 'Y 1 v I At 3, Bare shown two of four or more ver-- tical supports -on which are carried 1 the louvers 4 'and louver Vbrackets "5.5, "These louvers which'are ordinarily on all? foursides of the tower, serve to prevent the' escape of the cooling water and `atthe -same time, avoid undue retardation of the air iow." Suitable means, not shown, arepreferably provided to preventobjectionable rattling'of the louvers, and thelowermost edges 4a of the" louvers are nested closely against the inside edge'a of the brackets, to facilitatefthis' silencing action. "7 n -"f From nozzles 2,the water to be cooled Hows first over theW-shaped drip bars 6', andfthence. to another series of drip vhars 7, disposed sub'-` stantiallyat right'angles to bars (i.` f

Movement offmembers 6` and Tis preventedl by means of a suitable clamp 8, which clam-p" the elements firmly against the lower framei" work. y y

From the drip bars 7 the watertrickles overV a drip Ibar system 9 comprising Vtwo series of bars 10 and 11, arranged longitudinally ofi one another with ends of the bars of' one4 series overlapping the bars ofthe other series (Fig. 4).- i f 1 In Fig. 2 it will be noted that theWfshaped` drip bar 6,of metal, has a central portion ,12 somewhat higher thanA the wings 13, 13,' the edges of whichare crimped as at 14:."` 'f ,A f

The tops of these crimpededges are sub-I stantially on a line with holesl 15 on the cen-f ter portion ofthe bar. y x v At each end-of the bars 6 are metal closure plates 16, which, in combination "with the valleys of thefbars, definetroughs. L

The high central portion 12 serves "as a" splash plate, deflecting the stream 'from the nozzles 2 tofboth sides, thus materially'in" creasing the wetted surface of the bar, resulting in efficient heat dissipationwh1le the Vholes 15 permit a uniform flow ov'erthev under portions-of the bar, and expose them to the upper air currents.

The position of the crimped edges 14 permits water to overflow them at the same time it iows through the holes 15.

In this manner the entire surface of the drip bar 6 is wetted with the exception of the small inside portion above the holesV at the center.

The three bends and the crimped edges of the bars 6 give them much greater' strength and rigidity than metal drip bars now on the market.

Immediately below the series of metal drip bars and arranged with their longitudinal axes transverse thereto,l are a plurality of wooden drip bars 7.

These drip bars 7 are each provided with a longitudinal trough 17 on the upper surface; a trough 18, diagonally inset on one side, and also extending longitudinally thereof; and

`two slots 19 on the under side, eachof these i' slots being provided with closed ends.

Water, trickling over from the. drip bar 6, collects in the trough 17. Upon the overiiow of 17, the water trickles over into trough 18. But little, if any splashing accompanies this action, due to the diagonal arrangement 4,5.. bars 6 and 7 in position.

of trough 18. The troughs 19 catch the water in two beads on the bottom of the bar and permit it to drop oif along two` lines, thus `doubling the drop surface.

A spacing member 20 of approximately channel section has its rear depending flange 21a abutting the ends of the bars, while its front flange is out away to provide arcuate projections 21 Vto properly space the bars 7 with respect to one another, the projections 21 fitting the ends of the troughs 17. A bolt hole 22 is provided on the upper surface of member 20, to provide clamping means there- As is readily apparent these bars are quite rigid and durable.

As has been said of clamping means may be used to clamp the As shown, one form of such means comprises a yoke 23, provided with a V-shaped opening for the reception of the middle section of the bar 6, andl provided with bolt holes vadjacent each end for the reception of bolts 24, betweenthe heads l25 of which and the yoke 23 are the washers 26. These bolts extend one on each side bar 6, and between adjacent bars 7, being locked `underneath the last-mentioned bars by meansof lock nuts 27 and washers 28. v v

A number of such clamping means are provided for each drip-bar 6.

rllhe water trickles from the bars 7to: a

Vnumber of intermediate decks of drip bars,

one of which is shown at 9 in Fig. 1. and in greater detail in Fig. 4. The decksare arranged with the bars of one deck extending t ilight angles tothe barsof the adjacent ec s.

before, any suitable type` These drip bars 9 are preferably cut from a solid piece of wood preferably cypress, and are stood on edge, having grooves on the upper and lower surfaces, shown in the drawings as being of V-section.

The fact that these members are stood on edge forms a very great advance in the art. Vhere wood slats have been used as cooling surfaces in the past, they have been laid flat or stood at an angle. Then used in this manner the slats Vare quite weak, and have con siderable sag. With my construction al wellknown method of lending rigidity is employed in a cooling tower for the first time.

As will be seen, such a deck here consists of two series 10 and 11 of the bars described, the ends of which in one series slightly overlap the adjacent ends of the bars of another series. A

Each series is provided with end spacing and clamping members 29. rlfhese members comprise top surface 30, from the underneath ofwhich downwardly extend spacing lugs 31.` These rugs are substantially the width of a bar, and extend between adjacent bars. Cooperating with the bars in the other series, these lugs cause all the bars to extend in substantially parallel longitudinal planes.

Also provided underneath the upper surface 30 are lugs 32, corresponding in shape to the cross section of the grooves of bars 10, 11. When the members 29 are fitted in position, the lugs 32 fit into the grooves, closing them, thus creating a trough effect, and causing the water to traverse a large area of cooling surface.

Intermediate spacers 34 are provided, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. These spacers are also provided with a plurality of centrally located lugs 32a, the quantity being doubled over that of element 29, inasmuch as there are twice as many bars to space.

These lugs are preferably centrally located except where the bolt hole 33 is provided. At this point the lugs are placed on each side of the bolt hole, as at 36. A conventional clamping means 35 is also used to retain spacer 34 in position. Each border of each trough defines a drop surface, from which the water leaves the lower edge of the drip bar, the surface of which it has followed due to the attraction thereto. Thus each drip bar defines a pluralityv of drop surfaces, resulting in considerable economy of operation.

In Fig. 3 are shown the details of the louvcr and louver brackets. Each louver is corrugated for the purpose of lending rigidity to the structure, and is loosely fitted in end brackets 5, 5 which are bolted directly to the tower framework. Considerable advantage results from this structure, inasmuch as in the past it has been the custom to punch the louvers at either end and bolt them directly to `frame. It is at these punch holes, which tend to weaken the louvers, that corrosion starts; and by my construction, these starting points have been eliminated. As has been pointed out before, suitable means are preferably employed to prevent the louvers from rattling, the particular arrangement of the louver edge 4a with respect to theinner surface 5a of the louver bracketfacilitating this action.

By my construction it is also possible for the louvers to slide in either direction, thus compensating for expansion and contraction; one of the previous serious problems of cooling tower manufacturers.

The operation is as follows:

The heated water from the nozzles 2 trickles over the bars 6 to 7, thence to decks of bars 9. These bars are designed to have as large a portion of their surface as possible wetted by the water. In its progress from deck to deck the water is cooled by liow of air through the decks. As a result, the water, when it reaches thebottom of the tower, is cooled to a point where it can be returned to the system to again act as a cooling medium.

A particularly novel feature of my invention is resident in the provision of a large amount of unobstructed vertical air column, providing a very efficient flow of air. For instance, in the lower series of drip bars, there are seven vertical openings 37 to the foot of deck width, each opening being approximately in width and about three or four feet in length. In addition, the drip bars are arranged in such a manner as to produce a central, unobstructed air column 38 which is about 18 wide, and which extends substantially the full height and entire length of the tower. The incoming hot water supply pipe 39 insures that a proper draft is supplied for the central opening.

While but one form of my device has been disclosed, a number of modifications will be obvious to one skilled in the art, and it is intended that my invention shall be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a cooling tower system, the combination of a series of drip bars having their longitudinal axes parallel, each bar having a longitudinal trough on its upper surface, and a spacer of approximately channel sece tion, extending transversely of the longitudinal axes of Vthe bars; the outer flange of said spacer extending downwardly therefrom and abutting the ends of said bars, the inner fiange of the spacer being cut away to form spacing lugs of contour substantially that of the section of the troughs, and fitting therein adjacent the said ends of the bars.

element therefor, resting on top of said bars and having a series of downwardly extending Vlugs to fit between and space the bars, and

another series of downwardly extending lugs adapted to fit in the grooves of the bars, and to cooperate therewith to define troughs.

3. In a cooling tower a series of drip bars stood on edge with their longitudinal axes parallel, longitudinal grooves extending centrally of the edges of said bars; said bars being spaced from one another by a distance approximately that of the width of the edge of one bar; andV another similar series of drip bars, forming a substantial continuation of said first series but staggered with respect thereto by a small amount, the bars of the second series slightly overlapping the first series; and a spacing and clamping element therefor, comprising a main top portion, restingon the overlapping portions of the bars; and lugs extending downwardly therefrom, the contours of which conform to that of the sections of said grooves, fitting into said grooves, thereby defining a series of troughs.

4. In a cooling tower, a series of drip bars y having grooves therein, and spacers therefor each having a main body portion from which a plurality of lugs extend downwardly, said lugs having a contour similar to that of said grooves, in order that they may snugly fit therein and means clamping the spacers to the bars whereby the lugs are brought into sealing engagement with the walls of the groove to provide a dam sealing the end of the groove.

5. In a cooling tower system, means for spraying water, a series of drip bars of substantiallyW-shaped section arranged therebeneath, another series of drip bars clamped underneath the first-named series, and arranged at right angles thereto, and having troughs on three surfaces of each bar, a plurality of series of drip bars arranged under said second series, each of such plurality of series extending transversely of adjacent series, the individual bars of the last-mentioned type of series being placed on edge and a plurality of corrugated louvers arranged on the vertical walls of the tower for controlling the flow of air over the drip bars.

JOSHUA BARTON HARRY.

2. In a cooling tower, a series of wooden Y 

